Piano bench



July 18, 1939. v M. 1.. CRAWFORD I 2,166,485

PIANO BENCH Filed Nov. 3, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor .Mom'oe Zp Grai /1 fimoawaau I M m A iiorneus July 18, 1939. M. L. CRAWFORD 6 PIANO BENCH Filed Nov. 3, 1937 2 Sheets-She et 2 7 lo h I I V o t a, 7 Z 8 1-; 2

' /7 l i 1. I 3 4 Inventor l3 l ama? Z6? Gq-Sw I Q g wwwfih A iio'rneys Patented July 18, 1939 PIANO BENCH Monroe Lee Crawford, San Angelo, Tex., assignor to Ultra Modern Piano Bench Company, Tom Green County, Tex., a corporation Application November 3, 1937, Serial No. 172,619

1 Claim. (01. 45-64) This invention relates to a piano bench, the general object of the invention being to provide a pivoted. end part for the seat portion at each end thereof, to which is attached a music holding receptacle, whereby the music can be taken from either receptacle by one sitting on the seat without getting up 01f the seat, and said end parts forming part of the seat when in closed position so that a number of people can use the seat if desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple means for holding the receptacles in closed position under the seat and the end parts in closed position forming extensions of the main seat part 7 of the bench.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bench with the end parts closed.

Figure 2 is a similar view but with the parts in open position and the receptacles in position whereby music can be taken therefrom or put therein.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the bench and showing one receptacle and its end parts in tilted or open position, in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View with the legs in section.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view showing the pins and the adjusting screw on a side rail of the bench for forming a bearing for one of the pivot rods.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view one end of the seat part showing the notch for receiving the pivot rod.

As shown in these views the bench is composed of a frame which includes the side rails l and the end rails 2, the ends of these rails being connected with the legs 3 and cross pieces 4 connect intermediate portions .of the side rails I together.

In carrying out my invention I provide a seat part 5 which covers the frame and this seat part is formed with the narrow extensions 5 at each end which are spaced apart and have their outer faces forming continuation of the outer edges of the seat part 5. Thus an opening is left at each end of the seat part and an end member 1 is adapted to close each opening, when the end member is in normal position. A receptacle 8 is attached to each end member on the under face thereof and a pivot pin or rod 9 passes through a transverse groove in the bottom of each end member, the groove being closed by a part of the receptacle and the ends of the pin or rod fit in notches I I formed in the inner faces of a pair of extensions 6. Each notch is closed on its underside by a portion of a side rail l and said portion has a pair of pins l2 projecting therefrom into the notch and a screw I3 is driven into the said side rail portion, between the pins l2 so that these pins and the screw form a metallic bearing for each end of each rod and the screw can be adjusted to take up play and wear.

Thus the end member and the receptacle are supported for rocking movement and the parts are so arranged that the receptacle and end piece can be moved from a. horizontal position with the receptacle fitting in the space formed by the side and end rails and the'cross pieces 4, and the end member closing the opening between the extensions 6, to a tilted position as shown in full lines in Figure 2 and in dotted lines in Figure 3.

As will be seen the outer portion of its top of the receptacle is attached to the under face of each member and the end member projects from the front end of the receptacle so that this projecting part will engage the upper edge of an end rail when the parts are in horizontal position.

A pair of levers I 4 is provided for holding the parts in horizontal position and. these levers are pivoted to the under edge of the cross member 4 as shown at IS with their handle equipped ends projecting from one side of the frame of the bench so that by swinging a lever toward the other lever a portion of the lever will pass from under a corner of a receptacle so that the receptacle can drop into the dotted line position shown in Figure 3. The levers are held in position with parts passing under the corners of the receptacle by the spring member l6 attached to the cross member 4 and engaging the beveled ends of the two levers as shown in Figure 4.

By this arrangement either or both of the receptacles can be released by proper manipulation of the levers.

The front end of each receptacle is formed with a substantially V-shaped recess I! in its under part for facilitating the placing of sheet music in the receptacle or the removal of the music therefrom and it will be seen that when the receptacle is in open position the open end is uppermost so that the sheet music can be readily seen and any desired piece of music can be easily removed or replaced.

The end pieces or members 1 should be upholstered or finished in the same manner as the top member 5. e

As will be seen a person sitting on the part 5 can readily tilt either end. member to gain access to either or both receptacles and he can do this Without leaving the seat as the handle ends of the levers are in front of him and when the end members are in horizontal or closed position they form extensions of the seat part so that a number of persons can seat themselves on the bench.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A combination piano bench and. music cabinet comprising a rectangular bench frame open at its bottom, a seat panel on top of said frame and terminating short of one end of the latter to provide an opening in the top of the frame, a flap for closing said opening, hinged to said frame adjacent to the terminal end of said panel to swing about a transverse axis upwardly and downwardly into opening and closing positions, respectively, said flap in the closing position thereof forming an extension of said panel, and a rectangular music container longer than said flap and having a closed end and an open end, said container being secured adjacent the open end thereof to the under face of the flap, whereby in the open position of the flap said open end of the container is projected upwardly through said opening for access thereto, said container in the closed position of the flap being swung thereby into said frame into a hidden position.

MONROE LEE CRAWFORD. 

